Ter'A-Til (Tare-Ah-Teal)

“The city appears as a scarred black cliffside. As you sail closer the scars fall into focus as interconnecting ladders and lifts that crisscross the cliff face. Lake matsaya’s waters have beaten against the walls of Ter’A-Til longer than anyone can remember. Worn smooth for several hundred feet, the flat black rock face stands resolute in stark contrast to the white sand that is visible as fine whisps atop the stone. Extending across the horizon as far as the eye can see to the north and south the city of Ter’A-Til is the only opening at sea level to the bleak stretch of sand known as the blasted land.

Small rowboats dot the expanse of sea leading towards the cliff. Their pilots casting small nets into the dark churning water while riding the precarious waves that threaten to crush their vessels against the unforgiving stone. A cave yawns at the base of the cliffs nearly one hundred feet high and several times as wide across.”
- Heroes of the Valley. Season 3, Episode 5.

Demographics

While the predominate population of the city is made up of several hundred thousand halflings, the city of Ter'A-Til would not be what it is without the significant work of the immigrant Dwarven population from Dun Bok. These Dwarves make up the second largest part of the city's population at near a hundred-thousand. Humans, half-elves, and gnomes can also be found in the city but in far fewer numbers.

Government

The governance of the city is managed by the followers of Ravi. Administration of each particular city district falling to an elected member of the Order of Astronomers. Elections for each district's leadership are held every ten years. The codified laws of Ter'A-Til are fairly straightforward. 

Laws of Ter’A-Til

The city and anyone currenty inside its walls are subject to Ravinite law. Litigation and prosecution of the law is the domain of the order of Astronomers. While the Soldiers of the Sun are responsible for the day to day enforcement of the law throughout the city's districts. Many volumes of legal text have been written over the centuries by the order of Astronomers, but the basics of Ravinite law is based on something called the "four primes."

1. Act in the light
2. Speak the truth
3. Do not Kill
4. Do not steal

Life is considered sacred to the followers of Ravi. Life created or destroyed without consent is unjust in the eyes of the Ravinite's courts. With the exception of medical procedures, any violation of these laws may lead to light or harsh punishment. However each case is considered independently by the Ravinite court. Someone accused of murder but claims self defense may be given a lighter sentence, but a trial is guaranteed. 

Justice in Ter’A-Til.

The court’s of the city are fairly advanced. Each person accused and arrested of a crime in Ter’a-til is given a basic knowledge test. If they are unable to understand the law they violated or cannot represent themselves a member of the Order of Astronomers is required to represent them. Violations for small laws such as of sanitation practices, vandalism or illegal gambling are met with small punishments such as community service and religious education.
If convicted of violating any of the four prime laws, Punishment for criminals is dictated by chance. If a criminal has been proven guilty of a "Prime Violation" they are given the option to be executed or "put their life to the gods". They are given a coin. One side has the symbol of Ravi carved in white. The other side is a representation of Oot. The criminal flips the coin. If it lands on the symbol of Ravi, they are “given the sun”. Their forehead is branded with the symbol of Ravi, they are stripped of their possessions and given one water skin. The criminal is then cast out of the Crown entrance into the blasted lands where they will almost surely die in the inhospitable desert.  If the coin lands on the symbol of Oot they are “Given the dark” and are banished to the Deep district to join the sunless.

Defences

With the city and its supporting infrastructure built almost entirely underground, Ter'A-Til is very secure from external threats. The only method of attach from an external force would either need to come from the water across Lake Matsaya or across the desert in the Blasted Lands. The Ravinites do have a standing naval fleet, but it numbers fewer than fifty ships. If a threat does emerge from the water, the standard defensive practice is to withdraw all ships into the harbor cave and raise a massive chain across the mouth of the port. With any attacking navy being stranded outside the city, the Soldiers of the Sun can attack from high above on the cliff face with baskets of rubble dug out from the deep.

Industry & Trade

While the primary export of Ter'A-Til are minerals and metal goods the largest industries in the city are, in order; mining, farming and fishing. Feeding a population of half a million people requires a massive workforce to maintain the gardens and fish in the turbulent waters of Lake Matsaya. 
The city's harbor also deals a bustling import and export business with active trade treaties with the Kingdom of Emser, and the Oriate guild. The kingdom of Dun Bok also maintains a labor treaty managed by the Oriate guild to use Dwarven labor in the city's mines and metal manufacturing districts.

Infrastructure

Ter’A-Til is organized into several levels. Each level is connected by several massive vertical shafts running from the surface of the crown district and ending down in the ceiling of the harbor district. The wall of each shaft is lined with massive spiraling ramps. With each shaft spanning more than one hundred feet across the ramps are carved into the walls of the shaft. The center of each shaft holds a series of cargo and passenger lifts that run on a series of pullies, powered either by wind or beasts of burden. Only two massive lifts reach from the harbor to the Crown, but multiple smaller lifts crisscross the levels in the shafts as well as on the cliff face. Each ramp has sections with stairs and smooth sections for carts and are used as thoroughfares for people commuting from their homes in the range to shops and farms in the gardens.

Districts

The Crown

The level closest to the surface of the blasted lands. The corridors of the crown are a lighter tan color and made predominately of sand stone. The temple of Ravi is located here. This level also houses the Seneschal's palace and observatory. The only land entryway into the blasted lands and the sand port are also located here.

The Gardens

One level down from the surface, the greenhouses of the gardens are cut away into the rock and covered by large expanses of glass sheets framed by aluminum. Irrigated by water pumped up from the lake crops are able to be grown year round in the contained ecosystem of this district. The smiths of Ter’A-Til use the bauxite that is mined in the deep to create aluminum supports. With so many plants and crops grown indoors the garden district is also a favorite spot for tourists and locals alike to enjoy a more verdant environment.
A small abandoned Arcanum outpost is located in the garden district as well. 

The Bellows

Below the gardens the smiths of Ter’A-Til work their forgest building weapons, armor and goods for the followers of Ravi. The heat from the forges is piped throughout the city to provide warmth on demand.
Or’Tok’S Metalworks can be found here as well.

The Range

This district is home to most of the residents of Ter’A-Til. This is also where the main market district is located. The Lark society has a small embassy present on this level. Wigguns armor shop is located here.

The Deep

The mining levels of Ter’A-Til. This is where the bauxite and other gems and minerals are carved from the stone deep beneath the sands. The mining tunnels stretch for miles in a crisscrossing snarl of intersections and ladders that beguile anyone unfamiliar with them. The tunnels are also home to several other dangerous creatures that threaten any miner brave enough to seek their fortunes. A mysterious order of warriors called the Sunless protect the miners as they toil away into the deep.

The Harbor

The water entry into Ter’A-Til from Lake Matsaya is the root of the city. Occupying a massive kilometer wide cavern in that opens out into the lake. The stone ceiling of the Harbor district stretches back several hundred feet under the cliffs. Several docks made of stone and timber have been erected over the generations of the city with each being long enough to dock several longships.

Assets

The Garden and Harbor districts are also home to the city's food storage. Several fish farms occupy the lake side of the harbor district keeping the city fed and reducing the likelihood of overfishing the nearby waters. The garden district also houses sufficient dried grains and dehydrated fruit to feed the city for several weeks in the event of inclement weather or naval siege. 
The Crown district also hosts an expansive collection of magical and historical documents that are unique to the city. Managed by the Ravinite's order of scholars, the library of Ter'A-Til is only open to followers of Ravi. Anyone wishing to view or study the volumes contained within must be accompanied by a scholar.

Guilds and Factions

The followers of Ravi have the largest presence in the city as its rulers and lawmakers. Other guilds present in the city are the Oriate guild with a substantial presence in the bellows and the Deep.
The Lark society also maintains an embassy in the Range district. This outpost hosts a small detachment of diplomats and soldiers that live among the people of Ter'A-Til. The primary purpose of the embassy is to maintain trade treaties between the Ravinites and the Kingdom of Emser.

History

The history of the followers of Ravi have Ter’A-Til as the place that Revan fell to Huld. The Ravinites believe that Ravi, the sun god, rises in the east and blesses their city with light until it crosses over the cliff of Ter’a-Til. When the city is in shadow they believe that Ravi mourns the death of his brother.

Architecture

With almost all of the city being subterranean few foreign materials are used in the construction of houses, businesses and other buildings throughout the city. Each building has been carved from the side of one tunnel or another over the ages leading to the vast underground metropolis to continue its slow burrowing deeper under the desert. 
Nearly all of the buildings are carved from the same soft tan stone that permeates the cliffs. With the Crown and garden district being composed of less dense stone of a lighter, nearly white coloration the deeper districts such as the Deep and the Harbor are made of iron hard near black stone. This stratification can be witnessed from the lake side of the city as anyone approaching Ter'A-Til from the water can see the gradation of color in the stone from light to dark.
Light inside the city is provided by a combination of two  methods. Standard light sources such as candles, fireplaces and street lamps running on natual gas veins dot the city's streets, business and homes. Additionally several hives of "Lampworms" permeate the city. These hives are constructed for the worms and usually contained in ceilings and floors of various homes behind thick sheets of glass.  These worms emit light as part of a threat response and will glow a soft orange color whenever they detect motion. These light sources only need to be fed a small amount of organic matter every few days, and as such are sustained as part of the city's waste reclamation system.

Geography

Built into the cliffs of the Seneschal the city of Ter'A-Til overlooks Lake Matsaya. The sparkling glass of the garden district sparkles out to distant sailors and beckons them closer to the underground kingdom of the followers of Ravi and the city of Ter'A-Til. Built into the rock face of the coast of lake Matsaya. Most of the city is built beneath the cliffs but many open air markets are along the cliff face acting as conduits for fresh lake air.

Natural Resources

Much of the city's wealth comes from the veins of bauxite that run beneath the desert's sands and deep into the bedrock of the Deep district. The bauxite is refined in the Range district and turned into lightweight aluminum. 
The docks of Ter'A-Til also provide the city with a large amount of fish and other lake vegetation that is farmed and provided to the Range district for sale to restaurants and other customers.

Type

Large city

Population

500,000

Inhabitant Demonym

Terralites

Location under

The Blasted Lands

Owner/Ruler

Rylo

Ruling/Owning Rank

Seneschal

Owning Organization

The Followers of Ravi